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Note: This module is being updated to meet 2010 specifications. Please remember to check back for current training materials.

The materials in this module have been developed to provide an overview of the various ways in which hospital cancer registry data and central registry data can be used. The module consists of two parts, each approximately one hour in length—

Uses of Facility Registry Data [PDF-3.7MB] discusses the various departments in a hospital or other cancer treatment facility, such as administration and medical staff, who can benefit from using cancer registry data for resource planning, physician recruitment, and cancer program marketing, among other uses of the data. The presentation also gives many examples of the types of facility cancer registry information that community groups and agencies can use. In addition to the examples, the presentation includes an expanded discussion of data presentation in general, which covers creating good graphs, design tips, and selecting the correct type of graph for your message and your audience.

Uses of Central Registry Data [PDF-4.3MB] discusses various uses of central cancer registry (CCR) data. It includes examples of data uses from many different states, such as cancer control monitoring, health event (cancer cluster) investigations, program and resource planning, and epidemiologic studies, among other uses. It also discusses in depth the various types of central registries, from general and population-based registries to specialty registries like pediatrics or familial cancers.

The presentations contain abundant material, such as examples of specific ways that registry data can be used. You do not have to include everything in your presentation. It is most important that you customize your presentation for your audience, based on your assessment of the audience's training needs. For example, if your registry has done something different or creative with its data, supplement or replace the current content of the presentation with your registry-specific content. Add graphs or provide a handout to describe what is discussed in the speaker notes. If you only have a half-hour to focus on a specific issue, use only the slides pertinent to that issue. You know your audience best—use your judgment regarding what to include in the training. Your audience may consist of non-medical listeners who want to know what a registry does; if so, skip the details of individual reports and focus on the big picture of cancer data collection. Your audience may consist of hospital administrators; if so, focus on what a hospital registry can provide to administration or what the central registry does with hospital data. The point is that you should tailor the presentation to the needs of your audience.

Audience participation and discussion should be encouraged. If you are presenting to a group of experienced registrars, ask them how they have used registry data to help resolve issues at their facility. If you are presenting an in-service program to relatively new central registry staff, combine the “how to” slides in Part 1 with examples in Part 2.

A great deal of material has been compiled for you in this module; make it your own by adding from your own experience.